President George W Bush's ambassador-designate to India, David C Mulford, has scrupulously eschewed suggesting that the United States play a mediatory role in solving the Kashmir imbroglio, but he has made it clear that it's imperative that Washington press both countries to strike up a rapprochement.

Appearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee as part of his confirmation process, Mulford, asked by the panel's chairman Senator Richard Lugar if the US should play a more active role in trying to help India and Pakistan resolve the dispute over Kashmir, said: "The thing that strikes me about that problem, which I agree with you is one of the world's most important problems and hope will be resolved, is that it is a problem of very long standing. It's deep, it's complex, and it is something, which is very much between the two countries themselves."

Obviously aware of how touchy New Delhi gets when there is any  suggestion of a third-party role in Kashmir, though Pakistan has been imploring the  US to play a mediatory role, Mulford said: "We welcome the hand of friendship initiative taken by Prime Minister [Atal Bihari] Vajpayee. The progress that appears very minimally, but nevertheless to some considerable extent taking place and we have to hope that this initiative will continue to move forward.

"We should do everything we can on both sides to press the countries to continue to make progress. I do not think we should insert ourselves into the process as the manager or mediator or referee of  this problem resolution," he added.

Mulford, however, noted that "we have to watch very closely. We have to encourage both countries strongly to continue their efforts and to make it clear that returning to some of the past problems we've seen there is simply not acceptable for the world."

Mulford, who was nominated by President Bush exactly a week ago, had his nomination taken up by the Senate committee quickly along with the nomination of the president's nominee James C Oberwetter as ambassador to Saudi Arabia.

The White House, congressional sources said, had requested the committee to take up these nominations as expeditiously as possible and confirm them so that they could get out to New Delhi and Riyadh as quickly as possible and before the Senate recessed for the year.

Lugar told rediff.com that he had conferred with other members of  the panel, including the Democrats, and they had agreed to approve the nominations of both Mulford and Oberwetter and send their names up to the full Senate for a vote and predicted they would be confirmed either late Friday night or over the weekend if the Senate remains in town to finish its work.

Lugar in his opening remarks said Mulford "brings extensive public and private experience to the position of  US ambassador to India," and recalled that in the past 10 years, he had served as chairman and CEO for Credit Suisse First Boston. From 1984 through 1992, he was under secretary and assistant secretary for international affairs at the Treasury Department.

"The breadth of  his experience will be important as we expand and solidify our strong relationship with India," Lugar said.

Lugar said that "even as US-India ties have strengthened, we are concerned about the stability of India-Pakistan relations, especially after last year's crisis. We are pleased that both countries have taken some steps to reduce tensions."

The lawmaker said, "Our ambassador to India must encourage bolder steps that foster long-term stability and normalisation between India and Pakistan."

Mulford in his prepared testimony said he was "deeply honoured" that Bush had nominated him to be the next envoy to India and thanked Lugar and the committee for their "willingness to hold this hearing so quickly," and said it obviously "reflects the priority that this committee attaches to this important post."

He said that "President Bush has himself assigned a high priority to the US' relationship with India," and noted that the relationship between Washington and New Delhi "is clearly moving into a pivotal phase, perhaps providing for the first time both countries the most important opportunity for productive collaboration in their respective histories."

Mulford said that his experience as first assistant secretary and then under secretary for international affairs at the Treasury Department would hold him in good stead during his tenure in India. "I believe the experience gained during that time in global economic and financial affairs on behalf of the United States, together with my involvement these past 10 years in the world's great economic transformation, will be particularly useful in this assignment."

He said that if confirmed by the Senate, "it will be my goal to do everything I can to see that our relationship moves forward to realise its full potential. Clearly this would serve the vital interests of both our nations."

Mulford said, "The American people will long remember India's strong show of support in the difficult days following the September 11 tragedy. We are grateful for India's willingness to join us in the fight against terrorism."

He assured the committee that as ambassador to India, "the global war on terrorism will be a top priority for me. I also want to emphasise that the United States strongly supports India in its battle against terrorism, just as India has supported us."